Effects of Gnetum Africanum Welw. and Ocimum Gratissimum Linn. Aqueous Leaf Extracts on the Haematological and Biochemical Changes in Cyanide-Treated Rattus Rattus

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Effects of Gnetum Africanum Welw. and Ocimum Gratissimum Linn. Aqueous Leaf Extracts on the Haematological and Biochemical Changes in Cyanide-Treated Rattus Rattus EFFECTS OF GNETUM AFRICANUM WELW. AND OCIMUM GRATISSIMUM LINN. AQUEOUS LEAF EXTRACTS ON THE HAEMATOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL CHANGES IN CYANIDE-TREATED RATTUS RATTUS BY Ogechukwu EMEJI MATRIC NO: 146533 B.Sc Microbiology (Calabar) A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EPIDEMIOLOGY, MEDICAL STATISTICS AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, FACULTY OF PUBLIC HEALTH, COLLEGE OF MEDICINE IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH (ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH) DEGREE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN JULY, 2012 CERTIFICATION I certify that this work was carried out by Ogechukwu EMEJI in the Department of Epidemiology, Medical Statistics and Environmental Health (EMSEH), University of Ibadan. ............................................................................................. Supervisor Dr. M.O. Bolaji B. Sc. (Lagos), M. Sc. (Ibadan), Ph. D. (Ibadan) Adjunt Lecturer, Department of Epidemiology, Medical Statistics and Environmental Health (EMSEH), University of Ibadan, Nigeria. ii DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my Dear Father in heaven who is the Source of my wisdom, strength, inspiration and my overall being. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My sincere gratitude goes to my supervisor, Dr. O. M. Bolaji, for his constructive and meticulous supervision, support and peculiar attention. My special thanks goes to Dr. G. R. E. E. Ana, Dr. E. O. Oloruntoba and Dr. O. T Okareh of the Environmental Health Department, University of Ibadan. I appreciate all the contributions, comments, criticism and encouraging words. My parents who are the backbone of the successful work, deserve a special mention. I am eternally thankful to my endearing and caring parents, Mr. and Mrs. H. I. Emeji who took the pains in bringing me to the level I have attained. My siblings, Chidinma, Blessing and Chima, are my golden treasures. They constitute sources of great encouragement and sound moral to me. I will be ever grateful to my aunt and friend, Mrs. Joy Nwaiwu, for her unrelenting encouragement and concern for my wellbeing. I can not afford to forget to express my appreciation to Mr. Famuyiwa Olaolu who showed peculiar interest in my work, never bored with my curiosity and for his selfless contribution to the success of this work. I am indebted to him. I would like to thank Mr. Dotun for his support during the preliminary stage of my work and to some of his colleagues who provided some materials I used. I am also thankful to Mr. Aduroja and Mr. Nathaniel for the selfless assistance rendered to me during the analysis of this work. I would not forget to acknowledge the loving fellowship memories of the members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Jesus Covenant Parish. My stay in Ibadan would not have yielded great success without your spiritual support keeping me on track. Finally, to all my friends, Chika, Linda, Chichi (now Mrs. Izu), Ada, Kunle, Yinka, Ifeanyi, Toyin, Nike, Mr. Yemi and others who directly or indirectly contributed to the success of this work. iv ABSTRACT Cyanide toxicity is of public health concern. Cyanide is among the most potent and deadly poisons and sources of potential human exposure to it are numerous, arising through its release into the environment from both natural and anthropogenic sources. Gnetum Africanum (GA) and Ocimum Gratissimum (OG) which contain essential amino acids required to abate cyanide toxicity effects, are widely used local plants for both nutritional and therapeutic purposes in Nigeria. There is dearth of information about ameliorating effects of these plants on cyanide toxicity. The study was aimed at determining the effects of these plants on some indices of cyanide toxicity in Rattus rattus. Thirty 7-week old albino rats of same breed and similar exposure were randomly allocated to five treatment and one control groups of five rats each. Lyophilised aqueous extracts of GA and OG leaves were reconstituted in water to give a concentration of 3mg/L respectively while potassium cyanide (KCN) was prepared at 3mg/L concentration. After acclimatisation period of three weeks, the rats were randomly distributed as follow: group 1(control); group 2 (3mg/kg body weight KCN only); group 3 (3mg/kg body weight each of aqueous GA extract and KCN; group 4 (3mg/kg body weight each of aqueous OG extract and KCN); group 5 (3mg/kg aqueous GA extract only); group 6 (3mg/kg aqueous OG extract only). Treatments were administered by gavage while maintaining the rats on commercial rat pellets and water ad libitum for 14 days during which their body weights were noted daily. After exposure to the various treatments, biochemical analysis and haematological examination were done using the International Council for Standardisation in Haematology (ICSH) standard procedures. The results were analysed using descriptive statistics and Kruskal-Wallis at p=0.05. The mean rat weights (g) were significantly increased in group 3 (95.5+17.3) and group 5 (98.9+11.7) in comparison with the control (88.9+17.9). Slimy nasal discharge was found in 18.6% of rats in group 2 and 10.0% of rats in group 4. No discharge was found in control, group 3, group 5 and group 6. In group 2, 17.1% of the rats had ocular lesion while other groups had no ocular lesion. Mean haemoglobin values (g/dL) were significantly lowered in group 2 (12.9+0.7), group 3 (13.0+0.5), group 4 (13.1+0.5), group 5 (12.6+0.8) and group 6 (13.2+1.5) than the control (14.4+0.7) while mean white blood cell counts (cell/lmm3) were elevated with no significant difference with regards to the control. Total v protein (g/dL) were significantly lowered except in group 2 than the control. Globulin production (g/dL) was suppressed significantly in groups 2 to 4 when compared with the control. Mean creatinine values (mg/dL) were increased in groups 2 to 6 than the control. Mean Aspartate aminotransferase values (unit/l) were significantly reduced in group 3 (9.6+2.5) than the control (21.6+5.5). Gnetum africanum and Ocimum gratissimum suppressed the haemopoietic system. Gnetum africanum had more deleterious effects and did not alleviate the haematologic and the biochemical effects of cyanide toxicity. The consumption of these plants with cyanoglycoside-containing food is not recommended. Key words: Cyanide poisoning, Ocimum gratissimum, Gnetum africanum, Ameliorating effects. Wordcount: 495 vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Title.................................................................................................................. i Certification.................................................................................................... ii Dedication....................................................................................................... iii Ackowledgement............................................................................................. iv Abstract.......................................................................................................... v Table of contents............................................................................................. vii List of Tables................................................................................................... xii List of Plates……………………………………………………………… xiii List of Figures.................................................................................................. xiv CHAPTER ONE……………………………………………………….… 1 1.0 Introduction................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Problem Statement..................................................................................... 3 1.2 Rationale of the Study............................................................................... 6 1.3 Public health significance of the study...................................................... 6 1.4 Broad objective of the study...................................................................... 7 1.5 Specific objectives..................................................................................... 7 1.6 Limitation of the study............................................................................... 7 CHAPTER TWO……………………………………….………………… 8 2.0 Literature review........................................................................................ 8 2.1 Brief description of cyanide....................................................................... 8 2.2 Historical use of cyanide .......................................................................... 8 2.3 Properties of cyanide.................................................................................. 12 2.3.1. Identity and physical properties............................................................. 12 2.3.2 Chemical properties................................................................................ 13 2.4 Sources of human and environmental exposure of cyanide....................... 15 2.4.1 Natural occurrence.................................................................................. 15 2.4.2 Anthropogenic sources............................................................................ 18 2.4.2.1 Production............................................................................................ 18 2.4.2.2 Use....................................................................................................... 18 2.4.2.3 Release to the environment.................................................................. 20 vii 2.5 Environmental levels and human exposure to cyanide.............................. 22 2.5.1 Environmental levels...............................................................................22
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